NALBARI, Jan 30 - The Nalbari Zila Sahitya Sabha formally presented the Nalbari Ratna title to eminent Sanskrit scholar Dr Thaneswar Sarma in its annual conference held at Nalbari Sri Sri Harimandir premises here yesterday. Dr Sarma, a resident of Chatama village in Nalbari district, had retired as the head of the Sanskrit department of Gauhati University. He has written more than 55 books in English, Assamese and Sanskrit languages.
The newly-elected president of Nalbari Zila Sahitya Sabha Dr Bipin Chandra Kalita and the outgoing president Ramanath Baruah were present on the occasion.
The open meeting presided over by Ramanath Baruah was inaugurated by Kanak Chandra Sarma, former vice-president of Asam Sahitya Sabha. In his speech, Sarma lambasted the Asam Sahitya Sabha stating that the masses have lost their confidence on the Sabha.
Speaking in the meeting as the chief guest, Sahityacharya Dr Ramesh Pathak, a former professor of Cotton University, said that instead of pulling down signboards written in English, the Sabha should try to popularise spoken Assamese among all sections of people. He requested the members of Sakha Sabhas to discuss and criticise the mistakes committed by the Sabha so that the standard and status of the Sabha improves.
It may be mentioned here that the Nalbari Zila Sahitya Sabha had earlier conferred the Nalbari Ratna title on eminent litterateur Dr Basanta Kumar Bhattacharya, Dr Harinath Sarma Doloi, sculptor Adya Sarma, theatre artiste Dharani Barman and poet Dinesh Goswami.
